City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 6.9% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $106,900 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD and $919 in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $349 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Mobile, AL ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,551 in Mobile | $106,893 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$349/yr.
90 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$349/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Mobile, AL | Real change, Hagerstown → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $60,970 | $65,173 (+3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $122,540 | $130,987 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $72,130 | $77,102 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $79,490 | $84,970 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.